The Scottish Wars of Independence, 1286-1329

To many, this period of Scottish history means William Wallace and Robert Bruce, but it is much more than the lives of these two men alone. It involves relationships between Scotland, England, France and the Papacy, and the various alliances and treaties made and broken between them in the pursuit of kingship, power and authority.

The Scottish Wars of Independence highlight the impact of the development of Scotlandís identity as a nation prepared to consolidate a rightful successor to the throne, to improve the effectiveness of government and to maintain its position and influence in European politics, trade and religion.

It was a time of conflict between rival factions in Scotland and beyond. Loyalties were frequently put to the test as a result of cross border marriages between Scottish and English noble families, and as a result of marriage treaties between European royal families. It was also a time of military campaigns and diplomatic missions to harness support for claims of sovereignty and overlordship. The kings of England attempted to occupy and govern Scotland and went to war with France over control of lands in Gascony. In addition, the papacy did not want conflict between these countries to interfere with plans to mount crusades in the Holy Land.

The Declaration of Arbroath and the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton set out Scotlandís demands for recognition as an independent nation governed by its own rightful monarch. The succession to the Scottish throne was safeguarded after the death of Robert I in 1329 but relations between Scotland and England remained difficult for years to come.